Overview

Hemochromatosis is a disease in which too much iron builds up in the body. This extra iron is toxic to the body and can damage the organs.[1] Early symptoms of hemochromatosis are nonspecific and may include fatigue, joint pain, abdominal pain, and loss of sex drive. Later signs and symptoms can include arthritis, liver disease, diabetes, heart abnormalities, and skin discoloration.[2]

Hemochromatosis may be acquired or hereditary. Hereditary hemochromatosis is classified by type depending on the age of onset and other factors such as genetic cause and mode of inheritance.[2] To learn more about the specific types of hereditary hemochromatosis click on the disease names below:

On this page

Basic Information

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In Depth Information

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Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Hemochromatosis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.